[an0n]

"The parallel between infants' and rhesus monkeys' performance on the task is particularly striking."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4713714.stm

Apparently babies can equate the number of voice they hear to the number of people they see.

[Carl]

wait...so you people across the pond actually call it "maths"?















HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*wipes away tear* I thought it was just an internet thing, like saying "oh noes!"

[Deepblue]

Oh teh noes!!!

[Flipside]

Strictly speaking, we call it Mathematics, but yep, it usually gets shortened to Maths

Anyway... Aloominum

[Martinus]

wait...so you people across the pond actually call it "maths"?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*wipes away tear* I thought it was just an internet thing, like saying "oh noes!"

Totally not following you here. What should we be calling it?

[Nix]

At least you don't pronounce it like the hicks do 'round here..
Aloonimum.  MUM. Sometimes Aloonimun! 

[Deepblue]

Arithmetic of course.

[Flipside]

In the US they drop the 's' so that it is called 'Math', which is strictly speaking correct, since, whilst there are several fields of Mathematics, they all involve doing Math, however it's all a bit ambiguos these days, it's like the the quote 'The exception proves the rule'. Nowadays that makes little sense, until you look at what the meaning of the word 'prove' actually is

[an0n]

It's our language - we're right.

[Martinus]

In the US they drop the 's' so that it is called 'Math', which is strictly speaking correct, since, whilst there are several fields of Mathematics, they all involve doing Math, however it's all a bit ambiguos these days, it's like the the quote 'The exception proves the rule'. Nowadays that makes little sense, until you look at what the meaning of the word 'prove' actually is

I just wanted clarification from the Shivan himself but I assume that's what he means.

The thing that strikes me about calling it math is that math suggests a shortening of the word mathematic rather than mathematics. Therefore 'to do math' is 'to do mathematic'. On the other hand 'to do maths' is 'to do mathematics' which just makes more sense.

[Flipside]

At least you don't pronounce it like the hicks do 'round here..
Aloonimum.  MUM. Sometimes Aloonimun! 

hehehe I can just see people walking around thinking storage cans can be built out of A Loony Mum

[Grug]

It's been maths for as long as I know, short for Mathamatics aye.

Just because you breakaways molest everything with your barbarian tongues.

Though I guess the Australian language has a more relaxed english than the UK. But for the most part its the same, just a few more abbreviations, slang, and different pronunciations.

[Martinus]

There's a hell of a lot of slang in UK English and it varies a lot between areas too. Cockney rhyming slang is an excessive example but it gives you some idea of how far it can go.

[Flipside]

Cor blimey Guv'nor! Strike a light!

Would you take a Butchers at them Bristols!

[an0n]

See, this is why 'Southern Wanker' entered my vocabulary at a very early age.

Southerners, Chores, Gypos and Hawkers can all go **** themselves.

Yorkshiremen too. ****ing pidgeon-loving, coal-mining, inbred ****tards.

You speak properly, or you don't speak at all. Simple as that.

[Grug]

LoL.

Not that you'd be discriminating anybody thar, noo...

[Flipside]

LOL

Honey! Fetch my rioting coat!

Seriously though, it's true Cockney Rhyming slang is bloody annoying, it was originally created as a sort of code, but it's really not needed any more, and the only reason people hang onto it is because people think it's 'quaint' or 'upholding the old traditions'.

[kasperl]

Cor blimey Guv'nor! Strike a light!

Would you take a Butchers at them Bristols!

Without a dictionary:
God Blind Me, Govenor (used for anyone higher in rank), create a light/light a match.
Would you take a look at those breasts/weapons*.

*I distinctly remember it being breasts, but Bristols rhymes with pistols, so there.

[Flipside]

Yup, pretty much spot on, it's Bristol Cities - Titties

The 'Strike a Light' thing has always confused me though, I wonder if it's anything to do with working in confined spaces?

[aldo_14]

(http://www.aldertons.com/question.htm)

Trev would like to know the origin of the expression "strike a light", usually used as an exclamation (as in, "Strike a light, I though he was dead.")

   1. H thinks he has the answer: Strike a light = ****e.  On this note... one had to light a lamp if one had to go to the outside lavvy if one was caught short after dark........one could pee in the po' that was kept under the bed and throw the contents in the morning but anything else required a visit to the cludgy.
   2. Colin suggests that this refers to someone lighting a match to help foil the malodorous effects of someone breaking wind.  Sounds a bit dodgy to me, but...